Message Boards > Trail Blazers Talk
Greatest Trail Blazers: #1 Lucas Vs. #8 Smith
Topic is locked
  1. DHawes22
    DHawes22
    Posts: 6475

    Posted 08/08/2011 10:17 AM

    Who should advance?
    #1 Maurice Lucas (33)
     87%
    #8 Steve Smith (5)
     13%


    STEEL REGION
    #1 Maurice Lucas vs. #8 Steve Smith



    #20 Maurice Lucas | Forward | 6’9” | 218 lbs
    Written By Aaron Grossman
    Career Stats As A Trail Blazer: 29.7 mpg, 15.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, 0.81 spg, 0.72 bpg, .461 FG %, .125 3 PT %, .763 FT %

    He averaged nearly 16 points and nine rebounds per game in five seasons in Rip City. He is one of only four Trail Blazers to earn three NBA All-Star bids (1977, 1978, 1979) – and his 13 boards in the 1978 edition are the most by a Trail Blazer in any All-Star Game. He earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 1977-78. He was twice named to the NBA All-Defensive Team (First Team, 1977-78; Second Team, 1978-79). He is one of eight Trail Blazers to rank in the NBA’s top 10 in rebounding in a season (9th, 11.4, 1976-77). He is one of five Trail Blazers to notch at least three career 20-point, 20-rebound games – and he did it in one season (1976-77). And he is one of eight Trail Blazers to score more than 45 points in a single game (46, 1/12/78 at Boston).

    But none of those superlatives are the reason Maurice Lucas is a #1 seed. You see, the Trail Blazers won no more than 38 games and never made the playoffs in any of the first six seasons of their existence (1970-76). Then Portland traded for Luke. And less than one calendar year later, the Trail Blazers were NBA Champions.

    For more on the Enforcer, go HERE.

    Schonely Speaks:
    "The Enforcer. You never wanted to mess with him. Powerful. And could do it all. I miss him to this day."

    Photo Gallery: Maurice Lucas Through The Years



    #8 Steve Smith | Guard | 6’8” | 221 lbs
    Written By Aaron Grossman
    Career Stats As A Blazer: 32.1 mpg, 14.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.73 spg, 0.34 bpg, .461 FG %, .369 3 PT %, .870 FT %

    Steve Smith was only in a Trail Blazers uniform for two years, but he made the most of it. In both of his seasons in Portland, Smith ranked second on the team in scoring, and he appeared in all but one game during that time. A terrific foul shooter, Smith ranked 15th in the category in 1999-2000 (85.0%) and sixth in 2000-01 (89.0%). Always a threat from beyond the 3-point arc, Smith shot an impressive 39.8% from downtown in 1999-2000.

    Part of what made Smith so valuable was the way he fit amongst a very talented core group of players. Smith could not only score in the post but spread the offense with his 3-point range. Portland won 109 games in his two seasons and took a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2000. And it was in the postseason where Smith really shined. He scored 26 points to lead Portland in Game 6 vs. the L.A. Lakers before a heartbreaking Game 7 ended the team’s run in 2000. In all, Smith averaged 17.1 points while making more than half of his 3-point attempts (33-64, 51.6%) in 19 postseason games as a Trail Blazer.

    Schonely Speaks:
    "Not with us long enough, in my opinion. Lanky. Good hands. Could run. Great team player."

    Photo Gallery: Steve Smith Through The Years

    The polls will stay open for one week. The player with the most votes will move onto the next round. Who should advance in this matchup and why?


    I am a fan of
  1. ClydeFrog
    ClydeFrog
    Posts: 975

    Posted 08/08/2011 12:44 PM

    Lucas. But that's not a knock on Smith. Steve was a  great player and teammate during his very short stint in Portland. If we win a ring in 2000 or repeat in 2001 (led the league at the All-Star break), then he gets a much better seed than 8, but we all know how that story ends. He was fantastic at posting up smaller guards, which made it very difficult on the defense as we had 4 or 5 other player who had great back to the basket games. It spread the floor, allowed our shooters to dial in and slashers to get to the cup.

    But Mo was an All-Star. The leader of that 77 team. No one messed with us, because they knew if they did, he would beat them down (literally!). He didn't take any crap and he dominated the glass. Simply one of the best.
    I am a fan of Watching Elliot Williams Take Flight!
  1. BlazerBear
    BlazerBear
    Posts: 97

    Posted 08/08/2011 1:21 PM

    Mo is the better player but I have a soft spot in my heart for Steve Smith. The ultimate team player, could shoot the lights out and a great veteran presence. If we could only go back in time and do it all over again, maybe Smith gets the ball more often down the stretch. Probably doesn't matter as Shaq hacked the heck out of him and it wasn't called...
    I am a fan of J.J. Hickson Making SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays On A Nightly Basis!
  1. daveschedin
    daveschedin
    Posts: 44

    Posted 08/08/2011 3:59 PM

    Why would Steve Smith be an 8 seed over Kermit Washington?? For the guy who may have thrown the best past in blazer history(Special K)..come on?..If you vote against Lucas, you are either new to Portland, or are a teenager with no history to call upon..May Luke forever be at Peace..
    I am a fan of MY TEAM NO MATTER WHAT, ALWAYS HAVE BEEN ALWAYS WILL BE A BLAZER BELIEVER!
  1. mbmurr1
    mbmurr1
    Posts: 530

    Posted 08/08/2011 6:42 PM

    Maurice wins but Smith was a great Blazer.
    I am a fan of
  1. Kassandra
    Kassandra
    Posts: 448

    Posted 08/08/2011 8:13 PM

    i feel kind of bad for Smith; he was a great player and very smooth to watch, but he's just outmatched here (kind of reminds me of Drexler-Valentine on this bracket). Smith was great, but Lucas is a legend.

    ~ Kassandra
    I am a fan of my team fighting to win each and every game.
  1. ClydeFrog
    ClydeFrog
    Posts: 975

    Posted 08/09/2011 4:02 PM

    Posted By Kassandra on 08/08/2011 8:13 PM
    i feel kind of bad for Smith; he was a great player and very smooth to watch, but he's just outmatched here (kind of reminds me of Drexler-Valentine on this bracket). Smith was great, but Lucas is a legend.

    ~ Kassandra

    I agree with this. He was one of the best at backing down his man in the post and spotting up from downtown. A perfect piece to the puzzle on that 2000 team. It's just too bad we couldn't acquire him a year or two sooner. But I guess I shouldn't complain as it was, dealing Rider and Jackson for Smitty was one of the all-time fleeces in NBA history.
    I am a fan of Watching Elliot Williams Take Flight!
  1. Tobyus Sanchezo
    Tobyus Sanchezo
    Posts: 1599

    Posted 08/09/2011 10:24 PM

    Luuuuuuuke!
    I am a fan of playoffs in two zero one three
  1. DHawes22
    DHawes22
    Posts: 6475

    Posted 08/15/2011 10:04 AM

    No surprise here, Lucas wins 31-5.
    I am a fan of
- Hide
   
 
 
 
 
   

    Recent Discussions

  1. Will "The Thrill" Barton

    Started by Siccolo on 05/18/13 at 3:49 PM

    Well, I still think he won''t do great in his career. Seems weak.

  2. I'm just going to say it.

    Started by RipCity 14 on 05/17/13 at 12:47 PM

    Early days Cmeese, early days.

  3. draft

    Started by Aaron Childers on 05/16/13 at 8:17 PM

    You''re right. They should dump Monta though. I was thinking maybe the Rockets could use the number 1 pick to get the lakers to do a sign and trade for D12.

  4. Roster Ideas?

    Started by Aaron Childers on 05/18/13 at 4:25 AM

    Aye Im a Glen Rice Jr fan CT lol

    Dude ped 29, 11, 6, 3 ,3 in the D League Finals

  5. Rebuild Diagram 2.0

    Started by cmeese47 on 05/17/13 at 2:53 PM

    Batum is a great fit for their system and is young. Plus a lottery pick and potentially 2 other first rounders would give them a ton of flexibility. 


    If they say no we move on but at least offering the deal publicly will...

  6. offseason .

    Started by Mistafab322 on 05/17/13 at 1:07 PM

    Ah. Thanks Cmeese. I''m more of a stats and eye test man myself. Never bothered to learn about the salaries and stuff.

  7. The Mock Draft Thread

    Started by DHawes22 on 05/08/13 at 10:16 AM

    Dont see how we can get a starting defensive center. I will be very impressed if Olshey can find one

  8. Is Paul Allen more Concerned about Profits then Winning a Championship?

    Started by Tim Morrissey on 12/09/12 at 10:04 AM

    Paul Allen might sell the Blazers but the Blazers will never leave Rip City.

Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  ... 
Active Forums 4.1
NOT LICENSED FOR PRODUCTION USE
www.activemodules.com
The latest from
Everybody
RipCity 14 commented on Will "The Thrill" Barton / a.nasset joined group Season Ticket Holders / Siccolo created new forum topic Will "The Thrill" Barton / blazinbabb updated their fan statement / riverman and RipCity 14 are friends now / daddy updated their Starting 5 / burqueballer uploaded new photo / deb-smith updated their scrapbook / MJB uploaded new video /